A Novel Immersive Anatomy Education System (Anat_Hub): Redefining Blended Learning for the Musculoskeletal System

Immersive technologies are redefining ways of interacting with 3D objects and their environments. Moreover, efforts in blended learning have presented several advantages of incorporating educational technology into the learning space. The advances in educational technology have in turn helped to widen the choice of different pedagogies for improving learner engagement and levels of understanding. However, there is limited research in anatomy education that has considered the use and adoption of immersive technologies for the musculoskeletal system, despite its immense advantage. This research presents a practical immersive anatomy education system (coined Anat_Hub) developed using the agile scrum and participatory design method at a selected tertiary institution in Cape Town, South Africa, which promotes learner engagement through an asynchronous technological means using augmented reality (AR). The aim of the study was to develop an immersive AR mobile application that will assist learners and educators in studying and teaching the names, attachments, and actions of muscles of the human musculoskeletal system (upper and lower limbs). The Anat_Hub application offers a wide range of useful features for promoting active and self-regulated learning, such as 3D and AR modes, glossary, and quiz features. The application was tested with potential users, and on a variety of mobile device specifications. Very few volunteers have used AR prior to this study (13.2%). On a scale of 1 to 5, the majority of volunteers scored the application a 4 or 5. Overall, results and feedback obtained from users show that the proposed immersive anatomy system could effectively improve learner engagement and retention of anatomy concepts.